A common electronic comparator (such as an operational amplifier) has two inputs and one output. To the first input a signal to be compared is applied and to the second input a reference voltage is applied. If the voltage of the signal to be compared exceeds the reference voltage, the voltage level of the output of the comparator changes its state from a low voltage level to a high voltage level or vice versa, depending on the comparator type.
The reference voltage is a DC voltage adjusted to a specific voltage level. Most comparators have a hysteresis, i.e. an input voltage to be compared with the reference voltage will not be detected as being larger or smaller than the reference voltage, if the signal to be compared lies within the hysteresis area around the reference voltage.
Furthermore, every electronic comparator has a delay, i.e. a time shift between the time when the signal to be compared is applied to the first input of the comparator and the time when the comparator generates an output signal depending on the result of the comparison of the input and the reference voltage. The delay depends on the specific overdrive, i.e. the voltage difference between the reference voltage and the input voltage to be compared, before the input voltage to be compared changes its state from a voltage level below the reference voltage to a level above the reference voltage or vice versa. The larger the overdrive the shorter the delay and vice versa.
Thus there is a need for an electronic circuit comprising a comparator with a small hysteresis and a delay being stabilized and constant for different signals to be compared with a reference voltage.